CERT Basic Course Spring 2020

Thank you for your interest in the Spring 2020 CERT Course!  Due to the public health emergency from COVID-19, most of the course will take place online. See below for more information.  

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates you to prepare yourself, your family, and your community to address hazards that may impact the City of Alexandria and to respond to emergency situations. Learn basic disaster response skills such as damage assessment after a disaster, triage and giving first aid to victims, extinguishing small fires, performing light search and rescue, and providing much needed assistance in times of crisis! When emergencies happen, CERT members can give critical support to first responders by providing immediate assistance to victims and organizing volunteers at a disaster site. CERT members can also participate in non-emergency projects that help improve the safety of the community. The program is open to anyone 18 or older who lives, works, or owns a business in the City of Alexandria.

You MUST REGISTER before attending class. The deadline to sign up for the Spring 2020 CERT class is Wednesday, April 1, 2020.

For specific questions please contact Ray Whatley at ray.whatley@alexandriava.gov or 703-746-5266. Registrants will be sent more information by Monday, April 6. Participants are required to attend all classes and the final exercises in order to graduate.

The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended. To request a reasonable accommodation, e-mail ray.whatley@alexandriava.gov or call 703-746-5266.

Online:  April 9 - May 14.  You will be given the link to an online classroom and other online tools, with a weekly schedule of what to do.  Should take about 3 hours per week.

Skills practice in person:  Will be small-group evening sessions (2 instructors + 8 participants), tentatively May 11 - 14. The sessions will be about 3 hours.

Final Exercises and graduation:  TBD due to the limit of 10 persons in a gathering.  If the limit is lifted by mid-May, will be Saturday, May 16, 8 am - noon.  If the limit is still in effect,  this will be scheduled for a later date.

If you will be unable to attend classes this Spring, another course will be held next Fall. Those course dates will be published early in the Fall.

We look forward to you joining the Alexandria CERT!